Getting from Rio de Janeiro to Paraty

Paraty, also known as Parati, is a costal historic town in Brazil. Settled by the Portuguese in 1667, the city still keeps its old charm, with the cobbled stone streets and old churches. However, it is also an incredible destination for nature lovers, offering lovely waterfalls and forests.

Quick summary

The cheapest option to travel between Rio de Janeiro and Paraty is definitely by bus. And you get rewarded with a lovely view (especially if you choose one of the day buses).

Flights from Rio de Janeiro to Paraty

Paraty can be reached by plane from Rio de Janeiro but only chartered airlines cover the route as the airport has an airstrip that’s too small to handle regular commercial aircrafts.

However, you can fly from Rio de Janeiro into either Guarulhos International Airport, or Congonhas Airport, both airports serving Sao Paulo .

Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) is located about 113 miles from Paraty and is the main airport serving Sao Paulo. It is base for Gol Airlines and TAM Airlines. Flights to/from Rio de Janeiro are operated by: Avianca Brazil (GaleÃ£o and Santos Dumont) , Gol Airlines (GaleÃ£o), TAM Airlines (GaleÃ£o) and WebJet (Santos Dumont). In late March 2012, expect to pay from US$108 one way on TAM Airlines. It is not a direct flight though (goes via Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and the travel time is about 3 Â½ h.

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From the airport, there are buses which offer direct transfer to Paraty (buses or private transfer; needless to say, the private transfer is more expensive).

Congonhas Airport (CGH) is one of the commercial airports serving Sao Paulo and is located about 120 miles from Paraty. It is hub for Avianca Brazil, Gol Airlines and TAM Airlines. Flights to/from Rio de Janeiro are operated by Avianca Airlines (Santos Dumont) , Gol Airlines (GaleÃ£o and Santos Dumont), TAM Airlines (GaleÃ£o and Santos Dumont) and WebJet (Santos Dumont). In late March 2012, expect to pay from US$157 one way on TAM Airlines. The flight time is about 1h 10 min.

Buses from Rio de Janeiro to Paraty

Costa Verde Transporte offers direct buses between Rio de Janeiro and Paraty. Buses leave Rio de Janeiro 8 times daily, from the Terminal Rodoviaria Novo Rio. The first departure is at 04:15 a.m. and the last at 10 p.m. The travel time is about 4 hours. On the way back, catch the buses from Paraty between 3:30 a.m. and 9:15 p.m. every day. Tickets cost R$30 one way.

Boats from Rio de Janeiro to Paraty

There are boat services between Rio de Janeiro and Paraty, but there isn’t a scheduled ferry service. You can rent a yacht (together with a crew — such as this service ) or book a boat tour before your departure to Brazil. Fares are offered upon request by the companies offering such services.

Driving from Rio de Janeiro to Paraty

You can also rent a car in Rio de Janeiro and drive the 250 km to Paraty. There are two routes , but both take about 3 Â½ h. The route shown below is more scenic, as it goes right by the coast.